AE-PRO, European Adult Education (Young) Professionals Learning Platform, was a three-year project coordinated by EAEA and supported by 8 partners from various countries.

This project built on Grundtvig in-service European training for (younger) adult education staff delivered by the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) from 2011-2013. The training introduced staff to European developments in adult education; encouraged staff to learn about one another’s organisations; and facilitated networking and cooperation between both staff and their organisations. Following on from the success of the training, this project realised a growing need across Europe for adult education staff to learn more about European developments and adult education in other countries. This is because:

Younger staff in adult education in junior positions tend to have fewer opportunities to participate in European events, projects, and activities and are therefore not as knowledgeable about European developments and innovations as their more senior counterparts.

Many adult education staff do not have formal training in adult education.

Grundtvig mobilities that provide opportunities for the professional development and training of staff in adult education are not fully utilised or coordinated.

What did we aim to achieve?

This project brought together a network of organisations from 9 countries. The network aimed to:

Increase the knowledge of staff about adult education in Europe.

Increase the exchange of innovation between adult education staff across Europe.

Increase the quality of adult education staff and providers.

Increase the professionalisation (and quality) of adult education staff within and beyond Europe.

Support exchange between different generations of adult education staff (intergenerational learning), and the learning of experts as well as peers.

Increase the coordinated use of Grundtvig mobilities.

How did we do it?

The network:

Provided a comprehensive training course for adult education staff that brings together European developments; peer learning about each other’s systems and organisations; and European mobility.

Provided online training on European developments in adult education and learning.

Provided online training on national developments in adult education.

Created an online peer learning platform.

Established a network of trainers and experts.

Built a sustainable mobility platform for adult education staff.

Extended the EAEA younger staff network.

Provided a portfolio for the acquired competences to complement national certification.

Introduced a mobility charter for organisations hosting mobile (visiting) staff from other countries.

Who was this work for?

Adult education staff (especially younger staff) across Europe.

Adult education organisations and providers within and outside of Europe.

Policy makers.

Project meetings

First Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 18-19 February 2014: The first meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium and lasted 2 days. The meeting launched the first phase of the project; outline the aims and objectives of the project; and provided presentations on: the workplan, the training development, the division of tasks, quality criteria, and the development of an online peer learning platform.

Second Steering Committee meeting: Leicester (UK), 5-6 November 2014: The second meeting took place in Leicester, UK and lasted 2 days as well. During the meeting, partners worked on the course design, could see the progress of the online platform, discuss the mobility charter and the communication and recruitment strategy.

Third Steering Committee meeting: Malmö (Sweden), 19-20 May 2015: A first evaluation of the beginning of the course as well as trainings for the upcoming sessions took place during this meeting.

Fourth Steering Committee meeting: Porto (Portugal), 26-27 November 2015: Evaluation of the 2015 course and discussions on the 2016 course and the project follow-up took place at this meeting.

Fifth Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 18 January 2016: During this partner meeting, partners designed in detail the 2016 course.

Sixth Steering Committee meeting: Brussels (Belgium), 13-14 October 2016: During this last meeting, some training participants were invited to give feedback on the training. The consortium evaluated the project and though about its future steps.

The ‘Adult Education Mobility Charter’, created by the AE-PRO project, is a support framework of learning mobilities for all participants and activities. It supports any agreement between participants and activities and has a wider ambition to foster cooperation between individuals, organisations and institutions.

Access, participation and active experiences in the field of adult education should be reconsidered in order to gain more knowledge and share good practice. Every person (educator, teacher, trainer, stakeholder, etc.) engaged in adult education, especially younger staff, should have the opportunity to learn and develop their skills as part of their continuing professional development (CPD).

Currently only a few have the opportunity to attend and participate in activities which are otherwise open to everyone working in the adult education sector.

Endorse the Charter!

Adult education providers are invited to support the Charter. By doing so, they take a public commitment to say that they respect the standards and values defined in the Charter. For potential mobility applicants, this is a strong signal that the learning mobility will take place according to standards that both parties agree with. In parctice, endorsing the Charter means that your organisation is included in a list of supporters on the website of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA). See the list of organisations that have already signed.

The objectives of the Charter

1. European dimension

The Charter supports the mobility and cooperation between European countries and adult education organisations within those countries. It strengthens the role of adult education in confronting European challenges through cooperation and exchange between adult education organisations and adult educators.

2. Organisational dimension

The Charter promotes appropriate forms of mobility and funding. It aims to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training systems, as well as “foster cooperation between individuals, organisations and institutions”.

3. Individual dimension

The Charter increases the mobility of adult education (for younger) staff and improve its conditions. It helps to ensure that mobility participants always have a positive experience both in the host country and in their country of origin on their return, and to provide guidance on mobility arrangements for learning or other purposes, such as professional betterment, to all participants in order to enhance personal and professional development.

EAEA is a European NGO whose purpose is to link and represent European organisations directly involved in adult learning. Originally known as the European Bureau of Adult Education, EAEA was founded in 1953 by representatives from a number of European countries.

EAEA promotes adult learning and access to and participation in non-formal adult education for all, particularly for groups currently under-represented.

RIO/FOLAC, Sweden

RIO/FOLAC is the international mission for the 150 Swedish folk high schools. FOLAC is founded by RIO, the national umbrella organisation for the 107 folk high schools run by civil society organisations and SALAR representing 43 folk high schools run by local and regional authorities.

The mission of FOLAC is to:

Promote the interests of the folk high schools from a Nordic, European and global perspective;

Stimulate and support the participation of folk high schools in folkbildning and adult education projects within the EU and at the global level;

Enhance the cooperation between the folk high schools on international issues.

The Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation (KVS), Finland

KVS works as specialist and service provider of adult education. KVS publishes, informs and educates. KVS cooperates internationally and speak for the importance of adult education. KVS networks, cooperates and challenges and provides opportunities for debate.

Strategic priorities of KVS include fostering lifelong learning (e.g. through Souli online media, Adult Education journal and KVS Forum events), building media literacy (e.g. through Civic skills via media education in Palestine project, events and communication), and connecting internationally (e.g. through Kulkuri School of Distance Education, Elm – European Lifelong Learning media and the Communications Unit of the European Association for the Education of Adults – EAEA)

Learning and Work Institute (LWI), United Kingdom

An independent policy and research organisation dedicated to lifelong learning, full employment and inclusion brings together over 90 years of combined history and heritage from the ‘National Institute of Adult Continuing Education’ and the ‘Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion’.

LWI wants everyone to have an opportunity to realise their ambitions and potential in learning, work and throughout life. LWI believes a better skilled workforce, in better paid jobs, is good for business, good for the economy, and good for society.

Adult Education Society (AES), Serbia

Adult Education Society (AES) is non-governmental organization founded in 2000 and dedicated to promotion and implementation of the concept of lifelong learning, affirmation, support and improvement of adult education, support to the European integration and regional cooperation of Serbia through adult education, as well as promotion and support of Serbian andragogy.

Landesverband Saarland, Germany

Landesverband Saarland is a professional association of the Saarland adult education centres. The association membership consists of 16 adult education centres in Saarland, where approximately 120,000 participants take part in nearly 9,000 adult learning events every year. The association has a full-time open office in the state capital of Saarbrucken.

The main tasks of our association are advocating the interests of our members and providing supporting services to help them with supplying a comprehensive and quality-assured adult education, including:

Advising our members and customers in educational and organisational issues;

Organisation of training events for course instructors and employees of our members;

Implementation of internationally recognised examinations in the fields of languages and vocational training

Through the National Committee for Further Education of the Saarland Ministry of Education and Culture, whose office is managed by our association, we are networked with all relevant actors of adult education in the Saarland. In addition, important pillars of our network are our memberships in the German Adult Education Association, in the EAEA, in the European Movement Saar, in the education network Saar and in the Language Council Saar.

Danish Adult Education Association (DAEA), Denmark

The DAEA is an umbrella organisation (NGO) catering for 34 countrywide member organisations, all working with non-formal adult education.

Our aims are to:

obtain better conditions and resources

support cooperation and networks

encourage development and innovation

position non-formal learning in the social debate

DAEA’s goal is to ensure the best possible conditions for non-formal adult learning. We consider it an objective of non-formal adult education to contribute to education of all individuals and to improve active commitment of every citizen in the development of a society of freedom, equality and democracy.

KERIGMA, Portugal

KERIGMA was created in 1996 and since then more than 15000 people have benefited from our activities. It is an association for innovation and social development in Barcelos, Portugal, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote innovation on:
– Education
– Social development
– Sustainability of the region and its people

Through social and lifelong learning activities and projects we provide to the community formal training courses, and also non formal and informal activities that promote well being, active citizenship and personal development.

One of our main focus areas is also the recognition and validation of competences of adult learning: Kerigma runs one of the first centers created in Portugal, since 2005 and has been working in the field of validation since then with more than 3000 adults in Portugal.

We also offer some other projects and activities to our region and partners related with gender equality issues and social inclusion.

International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)

ICAE is a global network with a specific mandate to advocate for youth and adult learning and education (ALE) as a universal human right.

It was created in 1973 and has 7 regional bodies (Africa, Arab Region, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and North America) representing more than 800 NGOs – regional, national and sectoral networks – in more than 75 countries.